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Reprinted  from  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  December,  1910. 


INSECTS  DESTRUCTIVE  TO  BOOKS  * 

By  William  R.  Reinick. 

Chief  of  the  Department  of  Public  Documents,  The  Free  Library  of 

Philadelphia. 

Through  and  through  the  inspired  leaves, 

Ye  maggots,  make  your  windings; 

But  oh ! respect  his  lordship’s  taste, 

And  spare  his  golden  bindings. 

Robert  Burns. 

I have  been  investigating  the  subject,  “ insects  that  destroy 
books,”  for  a number  of  years ; and  this  paper  is  simply  a summary 
of  a few  of  the  facts  that  I have  discovered  and  collected.  No 
attempt  has  been  made  to  make  it  complete,  either  as  to  species  of 
insects,  or  subject  matter  under  any  particular  group.  These,  in  a 
complete  form,  with  the  results  of  the  further  experiments  now 
being  made  to  prove  the  theory  advanced,  will  be  published  later. 

Various  insects  have  been  named  as  the  true  bookworm.  The 
insect  known  as  the  cigarette  beetle,  Sitodrepa  paniceci,  is  given  as 
the  true  bookworm  by  Prof.  L.  O.  Howard,  United  States  Ento- 
mologist ; but  if  the  name  of  “ bookworm  ” is  given  to  the  insect 
which  causes  the  greatest  destruction,  then  this  species  will  have  to 
be  placed  quite  a distance  down  in  the  list.  Personally,  I will  not 
try  at  the  present  time  to  settle  the  question  as  to  the  species  which 
is  to  be  given  this  doubtful  honor. 

That  a knowledge  of  the  fact  that  books  are  destroyed  by  in- 
sects is  not  of  recent  acquisition  may  be  gathered  from  the  writings 
of  the  ancients. 

The  earliest  reference,  according  to  Austen,* 1  was  rescued  from 
oblivion  by  the  lad  Salmasius,  in.  1606,  when  he  discovered  the 
manuscripts  of  the  anthology  of  Cephalus,  in  the  libraries  of  the 
Counts  Palatine,  at  Heidelburg.  Among  the  fragments  in  this  col- 
lection- is  one  attributed  to  Evenus,  the  sophist-poet  of  Paros,  who 
wrote  about  450  B.C. 

Aristotle  speaks  of  a “ little  scorpion-like  creature  found  in 

* Copyrighted  by  the  author,  1910. 

1 Bookworms  in  fact  and  fancy,  Popular  Science  Monthly , 1899,  vol.  55. 

S5i 


552 


Insects  Destructive  to  Books.  { ^ecembe/mo11' 


books,”  which  was  evidently  a species  of  A carina  or  pseudoscor- 
pions. Horace  and  Ovid  also  speak  of  the  bookworm.  Pliny,  in 
his  “ Natural  History,”  has  very  little  to  say  upon  the  subject. 
Martial,  who  lived  in  the  first,  and  Lucian,  in  the  second  century, 
A.D.,  speak  of  the  bookworm,  and  many  other  writers  mention  them; 
but  it  was  not  until  1665,  when  Hook  in  his  “ Micographia,”  pub- 
lished an  account  and  gave  an  illustration  of  the  insect,  that  ento- 
mologists were  enabled  to  determine  with  any  accuracy  the  insect 
that  was  named  as  the  cause  of  the  destruction  of  books.  It  is 
impossible  from  Hook’s  description  to  tell  what  species  was  meant ; 
but  the  illustration  accompanying  the  description  shows  that  it  must 
have  been  a species  of  Thysanura  or  Collembola,  commonly  known 
as  the  silver-fish  and  spring-tails. 

It  has  been  stated  that  more  books  and  papers  are  destroyed  by 
small  forms  of  life  in  one  year  than  by  fire  and  water  combined ; 
and,  from  the  facts  given  by  various  writers,  and  the  statements 
made  to  me  in  letters  by  many  librarians  and  others,  especially  where 
the  libraries  are  located  in  the  warmer  regions,  I am  positive  that 
this  statement  is  true.  Those  in  charge  of  collections  in  the  temper- 
ate regions,  whose  volumes  are  not  as  rapidly  destroyed,  are  apt  to 
doubt  the  enormous  destruction  of  books  each  year  by  practically 
unseen  life. 

Again,  that  this  destruction  is  great  enough  to  cause  alarm,  is 
indicated  by  the  number  of  prizes  offered  by  various  bodies  for  means 
to  prevent  this  never-ceasing  destruction.  Prizes  were  offered  by 
the  “ Royal  Society  at  Gottingen  ” in  1774,  the  “ International  Li- 
brary Congress  ” in  1903,  etc.,  but  as  yet  no  satisfactory  results 
have  been  obtained.  I hope  before  long  to  be  able  to  present  to 
the  world  the  cause  of  these  ravages  and  a means  of  preventing 
them. 

Those  who  have  read  articles  upon  the  destruction  of  books 
and  papers  by  insects  must  have  noticed  that  in  almost  all  the  papers 
the  author  has  simply  stated  that  the  insects  were  after  the  paste  used 
in  the  binding;  and  most  of  the  prizes  that  have  been  offered  from 
time  to  time  have  the  same  object  in  view.  If  the  paste  is  the 
object  of  attack,  why  is  it  that  photographs,  which  are  fastened  to 
the  cardboard  by  means  of  paste,  are  not  eaten  ? 

Although  some  of  these  writers  have  stated  that  the  bindings 
were  bored  or  gnawed,  a gallery  leading  from  an  opening  made 
on  the  outside  towards  the  interior  of  the  book ; that  the  glazed  sur- 


1 9 FA 


O % hT.%  t 


Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  I 
December,  1910.  ) 


Insects  Destructive  to  Books. 


553 


face  of  the  paper  was  eaten  off ; that  in  a few  cases  that  portion  of 
the  page  which  had  received  the  impress  of  the  printer’s  ink  only 
had  been  eaten,  making  the  page  look  as  though  the  letters  had  been 
cut  out  with  a punch ; and  again,  that  a cavity  had  been  found  in 
the  interior  of  the  book,  without  showing  by  what  means  the  insect 
was  able  to  obtain  access : not  one  of  them,  as  far  as  I have  been 
able  to  find,  has  reasoned  upon  the  question  that  there  might  be  other 
causes  for  these  ravages  of  the  insects  upon  books  besides  the 
hackneyed  phrase,  “ that  they  are  after  the  paste  used  in  the  bind- 
ing, in  order  to  obtain  the  starch  contained  in  it.” 

Having  read  hundreds  of  articles  and  notes  upon  this  subject, 
and  having  had  the  pleasure,  from  my  standpoint — but  not  that  of 
the  librarian,  of  examining  many  hundreds  of  volumes  of  ancient 
and  recent  date  of  publication,  with  bindings  made  of  different 
leathers,  paper  made  of  rag,  wood,  and  other  materials,  my  atten- 
tion wa,s  before  long  attracted  by  the  fact,  that  in  the  great  majority 
of  books  examined  no  attempt  was  made  by  the  insects  to  eat  the 
paste  used  in  the  binding,  and  also  by  the  many  cases  in  which  a 
cavity  or  cavities  were  found  in  the  interior  of  the  volume  without 
showing  the  means  by  which  the  insects  obtained  access  thereto. 

Looking  at  the  various  ways  in  which  books  were  ravaged,  and 
knowing  from  my  own  studies  and  observations  in  entomology 
that  the  insects  have  wonderful  instinctive  powers,  which  in  a num- 
ber of  cases  could  very  easily  be  classed  as  intelligence,  I have  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  there  must  be  other  reasons  besides  the 
desire  for  paste,  to  cause  these  various  depredations,  and  I have 
asked  myself  this  question : “ As  we  know  that  the  dog  and  cat, 
when  sick,  look  for  certain  herbs,  grasses,  and  putrid  animal  matter, 
being  directed  by  their  instinct  to  that  substance  which  contains 
the  vegetable  and  mineral  matter  which  is  best  suited  for  the  par- 
ticular ailment  from  which  they  are  suffering  at  that  particular 
time,  may  not  the  insect,  with  an  instinct  as  great  if  not  greater, 
have  use  for  them  for  the  same  purpose  ? ” It  seems  to  me,  that 
the  lower  we  go  in  the  scale  of  life,  according  to  the  classification 
of  the  systematists,  the  more  wonderful  are  the  instinctive  faculties 
of  the  small  forms  of  life,  and  that  if  a classification  was  made 
according  to  instinctive  faculties,  it  is  a question  whether  the  ants 
would  not  outrank  the  animals  by  many  degrees. 

The  new  school  of  medicine,  in  departing  from  the  system  of  the 
old,  that  is,  that  in  which  Hahnemann  in  following  Paracelsus 


554 


Insects  Destructive  to  Books. 


Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 

December,  1910.  d 


claimed  that  certain  symptoms  in  human  beings  required  mineral 
agencies  and  vegetable  compounds  in  potencies  equivalent  to  the 
complaint,  neglected  to  study  the  power  of  drugs,  and  results  not 
anticipated  frequently  occur,  caused  by  not  using  judgment  in  the 
quantity  of  the  dose  given.  Those  interested  in  finding  means  for 
destroying  life  that  is  destructive,  should  use  the  means  as  those 
advocated  by  Hahnemann  in  their  researches. 

Starting  upon  this  theory  which  I contend  will  be  found  to  be 
true,  when  biologists,  physicists  and  entomologists  have  searched 
more  deeply  into  the  evolution  of  the  lower  forms  of  life,  I divided 
the  books  into  classes  according  to  that  portion  which  was  damaged, 
and  will  describe  some  of  the  most  important  and  name  a few  of  the 
insects  which  attack  that  particular  group. 

Paste  Eaters. — Science  has  proved  beyond  doubt  or  question 
that  there  can  be  no  destruction  of  matter,  only  a change  of  form. 
If  there  is  no  destruction  of  matter,  then  we  have  a demonstration 
of  the  theory  of  the  worm  or  larva  having  been  attracted  to  the  paste 
used  in  the  binding  of  the  books.  In  the  agricultural  kingdom  we 
find  that  rye,  wheat,  and  the  various  other  varieties  of  grain  are 
constantly  being  damaged  by  the  work  of  different  species  of  in- 
sects. These  insects  and  other  small  life  live  upon  the  exudations 
of  plant  life,  and  the  human  body  is  also  giving  off  exudations  in 
the  form  of  perspiration  which  is  also  a source  of  nourishment  to 
many  forms  of  life. 

We  will  take  rye  and  wheat,  which  are  principally  used  in  paste 
making,  as  an  example.  The  whole  grain  is  taken  to  the  mill, 
husked  and  ground,  and  prepared  by  various  processes  for  the  sus- 
tenance of  the  human  family.  After  all  the  processes  of  the  miller 
have  been  completed,  it  is  barrelled  or  bagged  and  is  ready  for  dis- 
tribution. In  the  processes  we  find  that  alum  has  been  and  is  still 
being  used  as  a whitening  agency  for  the  different  grains.  The 
flour  is  taken  into  the  factory  apparently  pure,  clean,  and  free  from 
all  forms  of  animated  life;  but  in  a very  short  time,  especially  if  it 
is  kept  in  a compartment  that  is  heated,  or  in  a moist  atmosphere, 
and  is  left  standing  some  time  before  being  used,  life  is  apparently 
created  in  it,  a puzzle  to  all,  as  to  its  origin  and  nature,  and  stranger 
still,  the  first  life  noticed  is  always  worm  life.  In  this  case  it  is 
known  as  the  “ flour-worm.”  Mr.  James  Stone,  a flour  merchant 
of  Philadelphia,  in  reply  to  my  questions,  stated  that  they  always 
discovered  the  worms  first,  that  they  were  only  found  in  the  centre 


555 


Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
December,  1910.  j 


Insects  Destructive  to  Books. 


of  the  barrel,  never  near  the  sides,  and  that  the  loose  flour  laying 
around  the  floors,  of  which  there  always  was  a quantity,  was  never 
found  to  have  worms  in  it.  The  lower  or  coarser  grades  which  are 
used  exclusively  for  paste  were  first  damaged.  The  finer  grades 
were  more  seldom  found  to  be  affected.  This  goes  to  prove  my 
theory  that  the  life  was  in  the  flour  before  grinding,  and  that  it  lay 
dormant  until  the  proper  conditions  were  produced,  such  as  heat  and 
dampness.  The  grinding  of  these  grains  allows  the  gases  in  the  air 
to  reach  the  particles  which,  to  a large  extent,  were  before  protected 
by  skin  or  husk.  These  gases  cause  a chemical  change  to  take 
place,  which  has  been  little  studied,  and  this  will  be  found  to  give 
food  for  forms  which  were  heretofore  in  a dormant  condition. 
Many  eggs  of  the  smaller  forms  of  life  can  hardly  be  seen,  even 
with  a compound  microscope.  The  following  are  some  of  the 
species  that  may  be  classed  as  paste  eaters : Pyralis  farinalis,  a moth, 
and  T enebroides  mauritanicus,  Silvanus  surinamensis , Calandra  gra- 
naria,  and  Tenebrio  molitor,  all  beetles. 

Paper.— Paper  is  made  from  cotton,  linen,  hemp,  rags,  and 
waste,  from  chemically  prepared  woods,  from  straws,  from  bark 
without  the  wood,  from  wood  not  chemically  prepared,  and  many 
other  substances.  In  a great  many  papers,  clay  and  other  minerals 
are  added  as  fillers.  While  we  are  conversant  with  the  various 
processes  used  by  paper  manufacturers,  yet  very  little  attention 
has  been  given  to  the  real  character  of  life  that  dwells  within  the 
manufactured  product  in  its  primoid  state.  Cotton  fly  is  used  for 
low  paper  stock,  and  the  little  insect  that  infests  the  cotton  boll, 
known  as  the  cotton  weevil,  sends  forth  its  offspring  under  a dif- 
ferent form,  yet  with  all  the  instincts  of  itself. 

After  the  paper  has  passed  through  certain  stages,  but  not  with 
sufficient  intensified  heat  to  destroy  the  principle  of  existence,  the 
species  evolutionizes  into  another  state  or  mode  of  living.  In  the 
broader  conception  of  biological  truths,  ready  answers  are  given 
to  this  profound  question,  i.e.,  the  origin  of  various  forms  of  life, 
and  the  researcher  has  ready  for  the  querist  the  proper  foundation 
whereon  to  build  the  superstructure  of  that  truth  which  the  arcanum 
of  nature  reveals  to  the  desires  of  the  mind  of  the  scientist  and 
physicist.  Too  little  attention  has  been  given  to  the  manuscript 
notes  of  scientific  workers,  often  only  a line  or  two  of  their  observa- 
tions upon  the  small  forms  of  life.  The  average  scientist  thinking 
it  too  trivial  to  notice,  often  passes  over  the  very  observation,  which 


55^ 


Insects  Destructive  to  Books. 


( Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
( December,  1910. 


is  the  key  to  the  puzzle  that  he  has  been  spending  years  in  trying 
to  solve. 

Paper  Eaters;  Wood  Pulp. — A species  of  insect,  frequently 
found  in  libraries,  is  the  Cimex  lectularius , vulgarly  known  as  the 
“ chinch  ” or  “ bed-bug.”  Its  natural  instinct  leads  it  to  wood  on 
account  of  certain  poisons  in  the  form  of  acids  contained  therein, 
and  certain  nourishments  which  are  of  a poisonous  character  to  the 
human  being,  but  beneficial  and  necessary  to  insects  and  worm  life. 
Where  paper  has  been  manufactured  from  wood  pulp,  containing 
the  particular  acids  or  poisons  which  the  “ bed-bug  ” requires,  there 
you  will  find  the  insect  with  all  its  instinctive  faculties.  Why  do 
they  live  and  thrive  under  wall  paper?  Many  wall  papers,  some  of 
which  are  known  to  be  a cause  of  illness  to  mankind,  have  large 
quantities  of  arsenic,  cochineal,  and  paris  green  in  them.  This 
mineral  compound,  being  changed  by  the  continual  variation  of 
temperature  going  on  in  the  room,  is  sufficient  to  change  the  natural 
character  of  the  paper,  and  also  the  habits  of  the  bugs,  who  are 
thus  able  to  obtain  nourishment  from  the  back  of  the  paper. 

Among  this  group  may  be  found  the  following  beetles : Apate 
capucina,  Xestobium  tessellatum , and  Lyctus  unipunctatus. 

Paper  Eaters;  Vegetable  Fibres. — In  the  Aztecan  history 
many  of  the  primitive  documents  were  made  from  banana  skin. 
These  were  made  to  receive  the  imprint,  just  the  same  as  paper  is 
manufactured  for  printing  to-day.  A sample  of  this  paper  was 
placed  in  a perfectly  sealed  case,  and  a scholar  wishing  to  refer  to 
it  one  day,  upon  going  to  the  case  containing  the  writing,  was  aston- 
ished to  find  that  all  the  paper  had  been  entirely  destroyed,  although 
the  case  was  still  impervious  to  any  attack  made  from  the  outside. 
This  demonstrates  how  long  life  may  be  prolonged,  in  the  sense  of 
the  insects  being  placed  away  from  their  natural  surroundings,  con- 
tinuing the  life  cycle  whenever  the  proper  conditions  are  given. 

Trichophaga  tapetzella,  Tinea  pellionclla,  Tineola  biselliella,  and 
Plodia  inter punctella  are  a few  of  the  moths  that  bore  into  paper  in 
order  to  obtain  access  to  the  fibres. 

Paper  Eaters;  Mineral  Fillers. — This  group  includes  papers 
where  quantities  of  clay  and  other  mineral  substances  have  been 
used  as  fillers.  For  an  illustration  we  will  take  the  character  and 
life  habits  of  the  Termites,  or  white  ants,  which  are  in  a measure 
destructful  to  material  utilized  in  the  manufacture  of  paper.  The 
alluvial  deposits  are  natural  to  the  white  ant,  consequently,  when 


ADecemberPi9ion' } Insects  Destructive  to  Books. 


557 


clay  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  paper,  the  instinct  in  the  ant 
leads  it  to  feed  upon  that  which  is  natural  to  it,  especially  if  the 
books  have  been  kept  in  a place  where  it  is  damp.  The  lower 
organic  life  is,  but  in  a measure,  an  evolution  that  is  manifested  in 
the  higher  and  more  complex  forms  of  life.  In  the  mountainous 
region  of  North  Carolina  is  found  a collection  of  people  who  eat 
large  quantities  of  clay  which  is  found  there  in  abundance.  These 
creatures,  the  whites  being  designated  as  “ poor  white  trash,”  and 
the  negroes  as  the  “ blue-gummed  negroes,”  are  addicted  to  the  habit 
of  clay  eating,  and  nearly  all  are  veritable  living  skeletons.  The 
eyes  and  gums  of  the  whites  have  a reddish  hue,  and  their  skins  be- 
come a dirty  yellow ; and  the  gums  and  skins  of  the  negroes  take 
on  a bluish  hue.  This  clay  contains  arsenic,  and,  instead  of  clay 
eaters,  they  might  more  properly  be  called  arsenic  eaters.  The 
supply  of  clay  for  daily  use  is  provided  with  more  energy  and  pre- 
cision than  food.  This  clay  poisons  the  saliva  exuding  from  the 
glands  of  the  mouth,  and  also  from  the  base  of  the  teeth,  and  makes 
their  bite  probably  poisonous. 

And  so  we  see  the  special  laws  of  nature  by  which  forms  of 
low  life  live,  actuated  by  the  first  principles  of  their  instinct  to  return 
to  their  primitive  mode  of  feeding ; that  is,  the  life  that  is  generated 
from  the  botanical  kingdom,  much  in  sympathy  with  the  facts 
established  by  Dr.  Hahnemann,  which  verifies  the  principle  that  like 
attracts  like. 

Monorium  pharonis,  or  red  ants,  Termites , or  white  ants,  are 
found  destroying  paper  that  has  clay  in  its  composition.  The  first 
named  is  also  fond  of  saccharine  that  is  found  in  wood  fibre. 

Paper  Eaters;  Animal  Fibre,  Parchment. — Insects,  such  as 
roaches,  which  destroy  parchment,  are  after  the  oils  and  fats  which 
are  used  in  their  preparation;  for  however  carefully  the  parchment 
may  be  prepared,  there  is  always  a certain  amount  of  oil  and  grease 
left  in  it.  These  oils  are  obtained  from  the  plants,  minerals,  and 
animals  of  the  earth,  which  the  roaches  have  always  been  used  to ; 
therefore,  when  placed  in  a location  away  from  their  natural  food 
supply,  their  instinct  compels  them  to  seek  those  books  which  have 
the  foods,  etc.,  in  their  composition  to  which  the  roaches  formerly 
had  access.  After  the  processes  of  the  manufacture  of  the  paper 
have  been  completed  and  it  is  ready  for  the  printer,  another  transi- 
tional change  is  nigh,  due  to  the  chemicalization  of  the  inks  that 
are  used. 


558 


Insects  Destructive  to  Books.  { ADe\»S«Pm<r' 


Parchment  is  especially  eaten  by  the  roaches,  Periplaneta  ameri- 
cana,  and  Ectobia  germanica,  the  crickets,  Gryllus  assimilis,  and 
some  species  of  Coleoptera,  or  beetles. 

Skin  Bindings. — Bindings  made  of  skin  always  have  a certain 
amount  of  oily  or  gelatinous  substances  in  them,  even  though  they 
may  seem  perfectly  dry  to  the  observer,  and  these  bindings  are  sub- 
ject to  the  ravages  of  the  insects  that  in  their  natural  state  go  after 
substances  containing  oils  and  greases.  Leather  that  is  perfect  in  its 
external  appearance,  under  degrees  of  dampness  will  expand,  and 
under  degrees  of  heat  will  contract.  The  oil  is  hidden  at  the  bottom, 
and  does  not  come  to  the  surface  until  pressed  out  by  expansion 
caused  by  dampness.  The  skins  contain  the  same  elements  in  the 
dead  state  as  in  the  living,  and  the  bindings  will  be  attacked  by  the 
same  forms  of  life  that  lived  upon  the  live  animals,  because  they  can 
still  find  the  mineral  poisons  and  the  alluvial  substances  that  were 
part  of  their  natural  food  supply.  Leather  bindings  are  also  subject 
to  the  depredations  of  insects  and  worms  which  are  partly  after  the 
oils,  acids,  and  fats  which  are  in  the  skin,  as  well  as  from  the  new 
life  that  has  been  conveyed  to  it  by  the  uncleanliness  in  preparing 
the  leather,  not  including  the  hundreds  of  substances,  many  of  them 
poisons,  especially  tannic  acid,  used  by  the  tanners  for  tanning 
purposes,  which  are  also  attractive  to  other  species  of  insects.  And 
just  as  the  animals  which  eat  the  plants  containing  various  chemical 
elements  thus  become  impregnated  with  acids,  so  will  the  insects  liv- 
ing upon  animals  and  plants  be  found  to  have  acids  in  their  com- 
positions. 

The  leather  is  destroyed  by  a number  of  species  of  beetles,  such 
as  Lasioderma  serricorne , Altagenus  piceus,  Dermestes  lardarius, 
and  Anthrenus  scrophularice. 

Wood  Bindings. — The  beetles,  Anobium  hirtum  and  Ptilinus 
serricornis,  are  found  making  galleries  in  the  wooden  covers  of 
books. 

Poisons  Used,  Mineral,. — We  have  in  the  minerals  of  the  earth 
many  poisons,  one  of  which,  arsenic,  is  of  especial  interest,  as  it 
has  been  the  established  rule  of  the  wall  paper  manufacturers  to  use 
it  in  large  quantities ; and  this  poison  is  one  that  attracts  various 
species  of  insects  on  account  of  its  medicinal  value.  Just  as  human 
beings  take  poisons  in  proportionate  ratio  to  the  needs  of  their 
systems,  and  especially  arsenic,  for  their  health,  so  do  the  insects  and 
lower  forms  of  life,  which  have  an  instinct  beyond  the  ordinary 


ADecimberPi9ion’ } Insects  Destructive  to  Books . 


559 


comprehension,  need  it ; and  they  find  it  in  the  wall  papers  and 
colored  illustrations  printed  on  the  bindings  and  in  books.  Where 
sulphur  is  used,  other  species  will  be  attracted,  and  so  on  with  the 
various  poisons  which  are  used  in  the  arts.  The  “ bed-bug  ” also 
finds  food  in  the  poisons  used,  such  as  arsenic,  Paris  green,  etc.  The 
idea  that  this  insect  is  found  only  where  uncleanliness  prevails  has 
long  since  been  rejected,  as  it  is  constantly  found  where  absolute 
cleanliness  prevails. 

Flies  will  cling  to  wall  paper,  especially  in  damp  weather.  This 
is  due  to  the  moisture  in  the  atmosphere  causing  the  poisons  in  the 
paper,  which  flies  are  primarily  after,  to  become  soft  enough  for 
them  to  eat. 

Gases  ; from  Heat. — It  is  accepted  as  a fact  by  scientists  to-day 
that  the  nature  and  character  of  life,  in  the  material  sense  of  evolu- 
tion, has  for  its  base  the  heat  generated  by  the  physical  sun,  assisted 
by  the  moisture  of  the  atmosphere,  and  the  darkened  chambers  of 
the  earth,  which  are  necessary  in  the  first  stages  of  all  life  produc- 
tion. Books  in  a very  dry  and  warm  location  will  be  found  to  be 
subject  to  attacks  of  species  of  Thysanura  and  Collembola,  which  are 
naturally  attracted  by  heat ; and,  as  heat  rises,  the  books  on  the  top 
shelves  will  be  found  to  be  the  ones  damaged  by  these  insects.  They 
are  seldom  found  where  it  is  damp. 

The  spring-tails,  Lepidocyrtus  americanns,  and  the  silver-fish, 
Lepisma  saccharina,  come  under  this  group. 

Gases;  Poisonous,  etc.,  Combined. — The  tree,  from  which  is 
made  the  wood  pulp  used  in  the  manufacture  of  paper,  has  its  roots 
shooting  down  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  and  its  branches  and 
leaves  reaching  up  into  the  heavens.  The  roots  are  fed  by  a 
varied  combination  of  elements,  mineral,  gaseous,  and  vegetable, 
and  these  elements,  taken  in  by  the  roots,  are  by  a wonderful  system 
of  arteries  carried  into  every  portion  of  the  tree,  and  insects  are 
thus  able  to  get  all  elements  that  are  necessary  for  them  to  sustain 
life.  The  pores  of  the  skin  are  the  health  holes  of  the  body,  and  in 
a sore,  unless  it  is  sterilized,  life  is  bound  to  start,  and  that  first  life 
again  is  worm,  life,  no  matter  how  carefully  the  wound  is  protected 
on  the  outside.  If  a microscope  was  used,  the  body  would  be  found 
to  be  covered  with  animated  matter.  The  insects,  preying  upon  ani- 
mal life,  are  after  the  poisons  exuded  by  the  blood  and  skin. 

Omnivorous. — Among  the  insects  which  can  find  food  in  all 
portions  of  the  books  may  be  mentioned  the  beetles,  Sitodrepa  pani- 
cea  and  Tribolium  confusum. 


560 


Insects  Destructive  to  Books. 


Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
December,  1910. 


Carnivorous. — The  following  are  some  of  the  forms  of  life 
found  preying  upon  insects  found  in  libraries,  the  centipede,  Scu- 
tigera  forceps,  pseudoscorpions,  Bryobia  proetensis  and  Tryoglyphus 
longior.  I believe  that  investigation  will  show  that  the  two  last 
species  are  injurious  to  books. 

Researches. — Some  of  the  statements  here  made  seem  radical, 
but  when  it  is  considered  how  little  is  known  of  the  life  habits  of  the 
lower  forms  of  life,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  facts  given  by  the 
few  life  histories  that  are  known,  on  the  other,  it  does  not  appear 
to  me  unreasonable  to  place  this  theory  before  the  public.  Especially 
so,  as  my  own  experiments  are  showing  results  entirely  different 
from  anything  hitherto  published. 

It  is  known  that  the  eggs  of  the  insects  under  adverse  conditions 
will  stay  fertile  for  long  periods  of  time;  that  the  eggs  will  also 
stand  a very  high  or  low  temperature ; and,  on  account  of  the  tough- 
ness of  their  skin  or  shell,  are  also  able  to  stand  a great  deal  of 
handling  and  pressure  without  being  crushed  or  broken.  At  an 
institution  with  which  I was  officially  connected  for  a number  of 
years,  a lot  of  mosquito  eggs  were  received  from  Cuba.  These  eggs 
had  been  attached  to  a piece  of  rough  blotting  paper,  and  sent  to 
us  through  the  mails.  Upon  receiving  them,  thinking  that  they 
had  been  ruined  by  the  rough  handling  and  pressure  that  they  must 
have  received  in  transit,  the  blotting  paper  was  thrown  aside  and 
allowed  to  lay  exposed  to  the  dust  of  the  atmosphere  and  the  rays 
of  the  sun  for  many  months.  One  day,  in  a spirit  of  fun,  some  one 
threw  the  blotting  paper  into  some  water,  and,  to  the  surprise  of  all, 
in  a very  short  time,  the  larvae  were  swimming  around  as  though 
nothing  had  ever  happened  to  them. 

All  plants,  vegetables,  trees,  etc.,  have  certain  combinations  of 
chemical  elements  which  are  only  found  in  them,  as  is  known  from 
chemical  analyses  which  have  been  made  of  material  from  them, 
and  each  of  these  have  certain  forms  of  life  which  live  upon  them, 
and  whenever  any  of  these  trees,  etc.,  are  used  in  the  manufacture 
of  paper  and  preparation  of  leathers,  eggs  of  the  different  species 
are  most  likely  to  be  found  incorporated  in  the  material ; hyber- 
nating,  as  it  were,  until  the  proper  conditions  through  heat  or 
dampness  come  about,  giving  life  to  the  germ  within,  and  in  a very 
short  time  the  little  worm  is  enjoying  life,  although  being  evoluted 
perhaps,  later  than  nature  intended  it  to  be. 

Again,  wandering  insects  come  into  the  library,  and  their  instinct 


December, Pmo“' } Insects  Destructive  to  Books. 


56i 


tells  them  what  books  contain  the  particular  food  or  medicine  for 
which  they  are  seeking.  These  little  insects  pass  through  their  various 
states  of  evolution,  with  long  periods  of  life,  which  are  unknown  to 
the  finite  mind  of  man  as  to  the  exactness  of  the  length  of  their  lives, 
and  are  always  evoluting  up  to  a point  of  superior  consciousness. 
We  must  give  credit  to  the  entomologists  for  their  researches  as 
to  the  laying  of  the  eggs  of  the  winged  insects,  that  in  time,  by 
the  active  energies  of  the  physical  universe,  produce  life  which  be- 
comes expressive,  by  a process  of  incubation  which  has  been  very 
little  considered.  These  various  illustrations  are  exhibited  to  ex- 
press the  nature  and  character  of  that  which  has  been  infectious  to 
the  libraries  of  the  world.  While  many  of  them  will  seek  for  the 
paste,  it  is  not  always  that  which  attracts  them.  They  are  also 
attracted  by  the  mineral  and  vegetable  substances  found  in  books. 

Disease  Carriers. — Just  as  diseases  are  carried  by  flies,  the 
seeds  of  plants  by  birds  and  the  winds,  so  are  contagious  diseases 
carried  to  new  locations  by  books  and  papers.  Flies  coming  from 
putrid  matter,  or  from  a person  suffering  from  a contagious  disease, 
by  depositing  disease  germs  on  books  provide  the  means,  if  given  the 
proper  conditions,  of  spreading  these  diseases  to  a locality  where  they 
were  unknown  before,  not  to  mention  the  possibilities  of  fleas, 
germs,  and  bacteria.  From  my  knowledge  of  the  ability  of  bacteria 
to  attach  themselves  to  paper,  I am  positive  that  future  research 
will  show  that  books  and  papers  have  been  the  means  of  spreading 
many  cases  of  disease.  The  question  of  doing  away  with  bank 
notes  has  been  agitated  for  years,  on  account  of  the  disease  germs 
and  bacteria  carried  on  them,  absorbed  from  the  unclean  hands 
which  handle  them.  A letter  received  by  me  from  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry  states  that,  “ Several  years  ago, 
however,  at  the  request  of  a Representative  in  Congress,  an  examina- 
tion was  made  by  this  bureau  of  a one-dollar  Treasury  note  with 
the  view  of  determining  the  number  of  organisms  thereon.  The 
note  used  for  the  investigation  was  obtained  on  February  3,  1904, 
from  the  U.  S.  Treasury,  having  been  withdrawn  on  that  date  from 
circulation.  It  belonged  to  Series  1890,  and  hence  had  been  in 
circulation  thirteen  years.  While  the  note  looked  very  old  and 
quite  soiled,  one  often  receives  notes  of  even  worse  appearance  in 
ordinary  business  transactions. 

“ The  note  in  question  was  subjected  to  the  ordinary  laboratory 
manipulations  for  determining  the  number  of  micro-organisms  upon 


562 


Insects  Destructive  to  Books.  {A“eceXerfmrom' 


it  which  were  capable  of  vegetation  and  development,  and  as  a result 
of  this  examination  it  was  found  that  there  were  13,518,000  living 
micro-organisms  present  on  this  note.  These  consisted  principally 
of  the  organisms  popularly  known  as  bacteria  and  fungi.”  Unclean- 
liness is  more  to  blame  than  the  paste  in  the  books  for  insects  found 
destroying  them. 

The  fleas,  Pulex  serraticcps,  and  other  species,  and  the  Acarina, 
or  pseudoscorpions,  are  also  capable  of  carrying  disease  germs. 

Remedies. — As  far  as  the  destruction  of  these  insects  by  poison 
is  concerned,  they  are  practically  worthless,  because,  whenever  the 
poison  is  used  to  destroy  one  insect  it  will  attract  other  insects  that 
have  need  for  that  poison.  Uncleanliness  of  the  human  family  also 
helps  to  supply  the  needs  of  the  bookworm.  Men  and  women 
do  not  give  the  proper  consideration  to  their  hands,  going  from  the 
dining-room  into  the  library,  either  public  or  private.  Nature,  by 
its  process  under  the  great  infinite  power,  has  supplied  the  skin 
of  the  human  body  with  scales  and  pores,  and  these,  acting  upon 
their  functional  duties,  are  constantly  discarding  that  which  the 
body  in  a healthful  state  does  not  want.  In  perspiration,  which  is 
moisture,  there  is  thrown  from  the  pores  of  the  skin  a combination 
of  mineral  and  vegetable  acids,  and  this  may  all  be  summed  up  in 
the  word  “ dirt.”  This  combination,  or  dirt,  contains  food  for  a 
number  of  species  of  insects.  When  the  hands  which  are  soiled 
are  laid  on  clean  paper,  some  of  the  matter  attached  to  the  hands  will 
be  left  upon  the  paper,  in  this  way  producing  food  for  insects.  We 
say  this,  because  man  from  a material  stand-point  has  his  grosser 
body  made  of  matter,  and  matter  in  a concrete  form  is  made  of  the 
dust  of  the  earth.  Cleanliness  in  the  handling  of  papers,  books,  and 
documents  will  be  of  more  value  than  all  the  poisons  combined. 
Let  common-sense  prevail,  make  sanitary  rules  in  the  home  and  in 
the  public  library  an  enforced  rule,  and  it  will  lessen  and  arrest 
the  rapid  growth  of  the  little  insects  which  feed  upon  our  silent 
friends  of  so  much  value  to  us,  besides  eliminating  the  possibilities 
of  contagious  diseases.  The  library  of  the  future  will  be  found  to 
contain  lavoratories  where  every  one  wishing  to  make  use  of  the 
books  in  the  collection  will  first  have  to  thoroughly  cleanse  his  or 
her  hands.  This  is  a subject  which  should  be  considered  in  the 
near  future  by  the  bacteriologist,  as  well  as  the  entomologist,  biolo- 
gist, and  general  visitors  to  the  halls  of  learning. 


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